The Voice of Hawaii's Food & Beverage Industry

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• Current officers
• Our members
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In the spotlight

June 2014

Watch: Herbert Tamura Inducted into the HFIA Hall of Fame Video

Dec 09, 2013

• Restaurant Placard Program a Few Months Away From Starting

Aug 13, 2013

• The Ultimate Opportunity to Buy Local - Midweek

What's new

July 2014

Follow us on Twitter!

We're now on Facebook!

Summer 2014

Promotions

• More information

About us

Who we are...

Established in 1972, the Hawaii Food Industry Association (HFIA) is a non-profit trade association that actively promotes the interests of Hawaii's food and beverage retailers. The Association achieves this goal through effective government relations and advocacy, member education and industry and community relations. The Association speaks of behalf of 200 member companies and as such is a powerful unified voice for the food industry.

HFIA is a non-profit trade association [IRC 501(c)(6)] established in 1972 to actively promote the interests of Hawaii's food and beverage retailers and suppliers through highly effective government relations and advocacy, members education, industry and community relations.

How does the HFIA benefit me?

Hawaii's food industry extends beyond our local farms. HFIA plays an important role in supporting local products by getting them to market through our network of distributors. For example, our local transportation companies move raw materials and other products to distribution warehouses and retailers. Local manufacturers, processors and packaging enhance products and ready them for sale. And our local wholesalers and retailers get all of these products safely and efficiently to the consumer. Often open 24/7, HFIA is there when you need us!

Who belongs to HFIA?

HFIA is made up of nearly 130 Hawaii retailers and suppliers, as well as 70 associate members. The Association's strength lies in the diversity of its membership, which includes independently owned neighborhood stores to large supermarket chains and national suppliers and wholesalers. HFIA unites and represents all segments of Hawaii's food distribution industry.

Why join HFIA?

According to past HFIA CEO Glenn Muranaka (Meadow Gold Daries), "HFIA is a Premier Organization committed to an effective/efficient system to provide Hawaii consumers the highest of quality products, with a powerful impact to Hawaii's social, economic, and governmental environment." The organization has changed with the times and has implemented a new committee structure to ensure that the organization always has its finger on the pulse of the industry. HFIA purpose it to actively promote the interests of Hawaii's food and beverage retailers and suppliers through highly effective government relations and advocacy, members education, industry and community relations.

HFIA is a trade organization made up of food retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, and brokers as Regular Members. Other firms are Associate Members including firms that work with the food industry, like transportation, financial institutions, media, services & repair ,publishing, insurance, etc.

HFIA's primary function is to act as liaison between government and the food industry. HFIA keeps the industry informed of the government's activities. HFIA is involved in the passage or defeat of most legislation affecting our industry, whether it is taxes, environmental, consumer protection, employee issues, and even issues relating to crime. Many times, HFIA may be the only organization representing your interests.

HFIA has many social functions, which provide our members with a strong feeling of Ohana.

HFIA has an Annual Convention and Meeting where reports, elections, awards, motivational speakers, and installation of new officers is separated from social events which include golf, children's functions, receptions, a banquet, and picnic.

Member communication

HFIA develops newsletters and email bulletins to inform members of vital food industry information. Vital information includes updates on legislative bills that directly affect the food industry, updates from the DOH on food safety, updates on requirements that members will be legally obligated to meet such as COOL labeling and changes to nutritional labeling.

HFIA ensures maintenance of our websites for 24/7 access to information.

Personal calls on vital issues.

The Hawaii Retail Grocer Magazine, the major publication of the Hawaii Food Industry Association, reaches members and non-member, including Legislators, Council Members, Government Officials and Government Agencies. Our magazine allows HFIA to not only disseminate information, but to editorialize on issues that need further explanation. The Hawaii Retail Grocer explains why HFIA takes positions on issues affecting not only the industry, but the community. Our publication also allows us to share success stories of member firms and educate the public on what is happening within Hawaii's food industry.

The HFIA Rainbow Fever Program was developed to support scholarships for UH athletes. The program isbeing redesigned to include Non-Athletic educational programs that will be directed toward environmental issues, and recruiting employees into the Food Industry.

The Made In Hawaii Festival is produced by the HFIA. The festival is a non-profit business incubator that supports locally made products. The festival has enabled many start-up projects to blossom into very productive businesses that grow Hawaii's economy. The Festival attracts over 35,000 visitors, including buyers from around the world. The Festival's product line includes food, books, gifts, fashions, plants, art, crafts, produce and more. Many of the festival's vendors are a part of the food industry, we encourage members who have not already done so to apply to be vendors at the Made in Hawaii Festival to support Made in Hawaii pride. You many learn more and download an application at: www.madeinhawaiifestival.com

HFIA helped create the Hawaii Foodbank and has been a major supporter since it started. This is a vital community program, especially when our economic conditions go in the wrong direction.

 

Community outreach

Community programs are a way for HFIA to give back to the community that we live and work in. HFIA has several community programs that include:

Due to the generosity of our membership the HFIA Foundation trust has reached almost a million dollars.

 

Member services

Business needs information to thrive. HFIA provides educational events for members and non-members to keep the industry up-to-date on important changes. HFIA holds monthly meetings to keep members and board members up-to-date on what HFIA is doing to protect businesses from negative legislation and enhance business knowledge for future success.

HFIA has been instrumental in creating and promoting the Retail Management Certificate in collaboration with Western Association of Food Chains in collaboration with University of Hawaii to enable educational training for employees looking to move into management positions.

Legislative Updates on both old and new laws affecting business is one of the most important services provided by HFIA. We provide members with detailed information on how and when to comply with new laws.

Please support the food industry by actively participating in our association! We know you will find our meetings and educational events useful and our socials, golf events, and conventions fun networking opportunities!